1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices used to protect a wrist watch, or other instrument which is attached to a body limb, against damage and loss.
2. The Prior Art
For many years the wearing of simple wrist watches has been common in modern societies. As technology has progressed, it has become common for people to wear sophisticated devices such as multi-function watches, heart rate monitors, calculators, telecommunication devices, and even other devices strapped to their wrist or other body limb. Thus, in the past protecting a watch from loss or damage has been a concern because of, for example, the value of the precious metal used in some watches. In recent years, however, protecting a valuable and sophisticated electrical instrument from damage and loss has become a major concern in many instances. Moreover, as people rely more and more on such multi-function watches and other sophisticated electronic instruments, such instruments must be worn continuously; thus it is even more important that they be protected from damage and loss and that such protection be provided conveniently so that the wearer will not be discouraged from using it.
In order to protect wrist mounted time-keeping instruments from damage, several devices have been proposed in the past. Many of the devices found in the prior art, however, make it difficult to access the instrument attached to the user's limb, thus discouraging use of the devices. Also many of the devices found in the prior art require that the attaching band supplied with the instrument be removed and replaced with a specialized structure. Furthermore, many earlier devices used to protect a watch or similar instrument from damage and loss are cumbersome or difficult to use. Still further, devices available in the prior art provide protection from loss or protection from damage, but not protection from both loss and damage. Even further, the earlier available devices often protect only the watch and not the attaching band. Thus, it would be a significant advance in the art to provide an apparatus to protect limb-mounted instruments from both damage and loss and which overcomes these other drawbacks.